1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus capable of a switch of a communication partner.
2. Related Background Art
Some recent communication apparatuses such as portable terminal devices can execute an application of an E-mail, a browser, or the like as well as a voice call.
Some of these communication apparatuses can execute the application during a voice call. For example, a user can discuss a content of an E-mail by starting the E-mail application during communication with a communication partner. In addition, if the communication partner asks for time and place of a today's conference during communication, the user can start the E-mail application to read an incoming E-mail describing information of a content of the conference and to notify the communication partner of the time and place of the conference.
In recent portable terminal devices, it is also possible to execute a plurality of applications simultaneously.
A switch of a display screen on a display during execution of a plurality of applications can be made by depressing a function key singly or by depressing the key in combination with a cursor key, a dial key, or the like. Furthermore, in a frequently used application such as an E-mail or browser application, the display screen can be switched to an E-mail or browser screen only by depressing an E-mail key or an Internet key.
Network services include a speaker switch service for talking with a switch of a communication partner. In general, it is referred to as a call waiting.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a system block diagram in which a speaker switch service is provided.
Reference numerals 101, 201A, 201B, 202, and 203 designate a portable terminal device, a speaker A who is a first communication partner for a user of the portable terminal device 101, a speaker B who is a second communication partner for the user of the portable terminal device 101, a public telephone network for providing a speaker switch service, and a base station for wirelessly connecting the portable terminal device 101 to the public telephone network 202, respectively.
In execution of an application with a switch of a communication partner using the speaker switch service, the conventional portable terminal device has the following disadvantages.
For example, it is assumed that, when the user discusses a content of an incoming E-mail of an E-mail application with the speaker A (201A) while he or she discusses an Internet site with the speaker B (201B), he or she communicates with a partner switched between the speaker A (201A) and the speaker B (201B).
To change the communication partner to the speaker B (201B) during communication with the speaker A (201A) with displaying an incoming E-mail screen of the E-mail application on the display, depress a call/change key. This operation changes the communication partner from the speaker A (201A) to the speaker B (201B). The screen on the display, however, still shows the display of the application for the incoming E-mail as the E-mail application.
Since the user is discussing the certain Internet site with the speaker B (201B), he or she needs to make a further switch operation of the application to change the screen to a site screen of a browser application.
As mentioned above, the display screen on the display is enabled to change by depressing the function key singly, by depressing it in combination with the cursor key or the dial key, or by depressing the E-mail key or the Internet key. Therefore, at least two key depressing operations are necessary including the speaker switch operation.
Additionally, some communication apparatuses including a telephone set or a facsimile connected to a network with a fixed line can execute an E-mail or browser application. If the application is executed with a switch of a communication partner by using the speaker switch service in this type of apparatus, there is a need for two operations, a speaker switch operation and an application switch operation, as mentioned above.
Furthermore, in a communication apparatus capable of using two lines, a user can switch a communication partner without a network service. This type of communication apparatus also has the same disadvantages.